When I saw the first pictures of Houtouwan with its overgrown houses, I immediately wanted to go there. While planning a larger China trip, this ghost town and abandoned fishing village was at the top of my list. Being located not too far from Shanghai, it wasn't too hard to include it in the schedule.

First of all: If you want to travel to Houwoutan, consider staying a night or two. The journey from Shanghai takes around 4-6 h, so when you arrive, you won't have enough time to visit the site and catch the ferry back. Also, there are a few more things to see on Gouqi and Shengshan Islands. Read more about how to get to Houtouwan, Shengshan and Gouqi here.

Second of all: Houtouwan isn't what you might think it is. It's not a typical urbex place or a completely abandoned village where you have to sneak in unnoticed, like Fier in Albania. In fact, there's infrastructure, people, a ticket office, noodles, hot water being sold, and taxis available.

However, as of 2024, it's still worth visiting. When you arrive, you can read a bit into the history of the place. A sign at the entrance explains that Houtouwan was once a thriving fishing village, nicknamed "Little Taiwan" at one point, and considered to be very prosperous in the 1970s and 1980s.

What happened after that is a bit unclear. The official narrative claims that people had to leave due to "extremely inconvenient transportation," and by 2002, the village was completely depopulated.

This version doesn't mention declining resources or any strange incidents. Radiation came to my mind as a possible reason when I saw the well-preserved houses — it seemed odd that the lack of roads alone would lead to such abandonment.

Some houses are multiple stories high and still in good condition. Comparing it to other lost places with a similar history, like Gamsutl' in Dagestan or Kadykchan in Kolyma, the structures here appear much better preserved. Perhaps the overgrowing greenery helps to protect the buildings, unlike in the barren landscapes of the Northern Caucasus and the Russian Taiga.

To explore the entire village, you will need around 1-2 hours. If you plan to take lots of pictures, allow yourself extra time. Unfortunately, it's no longer possible to enter the buildings, and some paths are blocked or marked with signs prohibiting access.

Normally, I would go off and explore anyway. But in China, CCTV surveillance is omnipresent, so I decided to stick to the official routes. Along these tracks, you will encounter quite a few local tourists, but luckily the area is large enough to enjoy moments of solitude.

Two highlights are the small pier by the sea and a viewpoint slightly higher up. During our visit, there was an old man sitting nearby, offering hot water, noodles, drinks, and music — all payable through apps like Alipay or WeChat (Weixin).

As you exit Houtouwan village, you can take another look back and perhaps spend some time in the Buddhist temple on the hilltop. If you have enough time, consider asking your driver to take you further to the beautiful cliffs at the Eastern edge of Shengshan island.

There are also a few small towns, like Shengshan near the Sanjiaojang bridge to Gouqi. On the neighbouring island, you can go Gouqi berry picking in season and relax on the beaches around Dawangcun.

This is also where you will find numerous restaurants serving local food, souvenir shops, and even a small rooftop bar, called "Pillow Club". Like Shengsi island, Gouqi and Shengshan seem to be growing in popularity. For now (as of August 2024), it's still not too crowded, so it's worth visiting sooner rather than later.